okay I give up fill me in?

[tyee]

What makes people pay that kinda of money for that vintage bear takedown. There is better shooting vintage bows out there like the red wings the p2 the howatt high speeds and hunters gamemasterjets ,super diablos. I just dont get it ya there cool and I can maybe see paying maybe 700 for one but not what it sold for, I dont get the fasination with 59s either there is a lot more hard to find historical bow like the St Charles thunderbird even a early wing was built by Bob Fred himself built none of these bows if he did I could understand that. My favorite bear bows are the alaskan 59 black and orange 57 kodiak 62 kodiak and the factory camo grizzleys that I think came out in 62. Any thoughts?

[TRAP]

I think both bows have real historical value which m,akes them pretty special.

Look at Bear's lineup of recurves prior to 59.  Kinda plain like most others.  And then all of a sudden a true beauty is built.  Exotic hardwoods, I beams, the signature coin, overlays, autumn rich glass colors, five line strike-plate and feather rest.  Maybe not the shooter a 57 is but a gorgeous bow in comparison.

The early TDs are a true Signature of Fred "the innovator" himself.  The slide in and lock down, no tools needed system is practical, simple and functional and may be the best TD system ever developed.   There's only so many out there.  Sure there were many made but it's not everyday you get a chance to buy one in that condition and with two sets of limbs.  (Correction: Only one set of limbs)

Just my two cents, but I think the historical value of those two models set them apart from the rest.

Trap

[tyee]

Fair enough Trap just trying to get everyones two cents here. I have played with the new kodiak takedowns and I think they are junk maybe the old ones are better I mean the joint fitting were poor at best I meen where the limb pockets meet the riser also all that I have seen creak a little. All of this seems like alot to deal with just to take a allen wrench out of my tool box

[tyee]

I do see your point when you talk of the 59 I never have looked at that bow that way ,But I have a berr apache from about 57 or so that looks like it could have came from a custom shop today

[Danny Rowan]

Only one set of limbs with that bow. not two. Still $1900 plus too steep for me.

Danny

[450 marlin]

Well, it brought a few more nice ones out of the closet. Looks like the Bay has everyone wanting to sell there take downs.

[Jeremy]

The beauty of the Bear TD is you don't need to bring the allen wrench or toolbox with you in the field.  I have a new Bear TD Supreme.  In my mind it's the nicest looking Bear TD ever made and the TD system is by far the slickest I've seen for a 3-pc.  It rivals the bowbolt in coolness factor.  Rock solid bow.

I agree with TRAP on the '59 Bears.  It was a revolution in Bear bow designs (though others were making 'em that way earlier).  They aren't the fastest Bears, but rank among the quietest and sweetest shooting bows Bear has ever made IMO.

The '59 Alaskan is a nice looking bow, but not all that sweet drawing out at my 30" draw.  The '58 Alaskan was far smoother for me.
The factory camo Grizzly was '61, though I guess you could custom order them after that.  The standard '62 had white glass and walnut riser with zebrawood Ibeam... gorgeous bow that may well be the nicest shooting Grizzly Bear has made.  

[TonyW]

The nice thing about the vintage recurves in A-1 condition is that the lemons have been weeded out.

I may be wrong, but a bow that has not warped or delaminated in 40 or 50 years is probably a keeper. I wondered about the mythology of the '64 kodiaks until I got one. Now I have two, and they are the last bows I would part with.

[PAPALAPIN]

Any body buy gas or diesle lately.  The same driving force controls the price of bows.

SUPPLY and DEMAND.

Is that bow worth $1900.00?  I always say that an old bow is worth what someone will pay for it.  Apparently two or three guys, and then finally one, thought so.

can he get his money back on it?... maybe not.

If Falk could have gotten it for $1900 including shipping, customs, and insurance, he would have paid that much.

THe bow is a collectors item because of its scarceness, historical significance, and condition.  As a shooter, it is probably not worth half that much.

The Bear latch system is probably the most convenient system ever made.  

HOWEVER!!!   How important is that really.  Unless you are flying for a hunting trip, backpackingin, or horsebacking in, how many times are you going to break it down.  The limb bolt system used by most of the bowyers today is probably a more solid mounting system, and quieter.

I have several models of takedowns.  Now granted I never use them.  THey are in my collection.  My standard shooters are my Jack Howard JETS.

If your main "go to bow" is a takedow, how often do you actually break it down, other than to change out for different draw weight limbs for different applications.  Takedowns or cool, but as far as being all that practical it would only count if you have space limitations on travel.

Of course another advantage is that if a limb cracks up on a takedown, they are replaceable.  Crack a limb on a one piece and you have a decent piece of firewood.

Just my thoughts.